circling with women :: a giveaway
Circle of Women . print available here
As I continue to reintegrate into daily life after the Feast Retreat and sift through the stories I want to share, I'm delighted to share this gorgeous print filled with the words of wisdom from Jeanette LeBlanc.
These words capture reasons why I created the Be Present Retreats, why I feel called to circle with women, and why I feel called to circle even more this year, and why I hope you will create your own circles in your corner of the world.
wisdom lit up by twinkle lights and candles at Feast . photo by Jessica DeFeo
During our closing ceremony, one of the ladies at Feast shared that she hoped we would open our hearts to the women in our communities who aren't able to circle like we did.
As she was talking, I kept thinking, "Yes, this."
A Giveaway
The "Circle of Women" print shown above was hanging near our circle during Feast, and I am so excited to share that Jeanette is giving one away today.
To enter the giveaway :: Please leave a comment sharing a piece of your story today. This giveaway has ended. The winner (Leah) has been notified. Thank you!
Feel free to share anything from how the weather is to a secret dream. You might even want to share how you already circle with women or how you long to. And yes, this giveaway is open to men! I imagine the men out there have women in their lives who they would love to see supported by other women in the beautiful ways this print invites. The giveaway will remain open through Sunday evening at 8PM PST.
One More Good Thing
AND I am also happy to share that Jeanette is having a sale in her shop. Both the Circle of Women print + Go Now and Live (shown below) are both on sale for the next few days.
Go Now and Live print . available here
Go Now and Live was also hanging in our cabin in the woods. The story behind this print is so beautiful. An excerpt from Jeanette's story about this print, "I thought about what I would tell my 21 year old self if I had a chance to go back in time and whisper in her ear as she slept. What knowledge would I want to impart to that idealistic young woman with the whole world at her feet? As I thought, these words flowed from me and something inside me was healed."
Yes, this.
Read the rest of the story and buy the print (on sale!) here.
***
Jeanette LeBlanc is a writer, photographer poet and dreamer. She regularly consumes ridiculous amounts of dark chocolate, craves the sound of crashing waves and wishes people would stop putting olives on pizza. She has a love affair with words (all of them, especially the bad ones) and is inspired by the intersection of shadows and light. Hopelessly idealistic and impossibly pragmatic, Jeanette fully believes that she will one day earn a very good living with her camera and her writing. In the event that Plan A doesn’t work out, she is willing to settle for a huge lottery win, or the generosity of a very rich benefactor. Either way, she has no intention of being a starving artist. Jeanette lives in Phoenix, Arizona with her delightfully unruly children. Jeanette writes about life, love and beauty and creates inspired design at Peace.Love.Free. Her fine art prints are available for purchase here.
giveaway
Reader Comments (36)
these posters are wonderful reminders of who we are, who we can strive to be and how we can be together as women.
thanks for posting & creating!
I want this for myself as much as I want this for my 12 year old daughter and her circle of friends. I don't want them to waste one day or moment, As I have wasted many, wondering about their worth. I want them to know deep in their bones and their precious souls that they are fabulous, no matter their size, shape or exterior anything. I want them to stay connected and know there is strength in their togetherness, they are each strong, and bonded they are invincable!
So, so, so grateful for the women in my life. YOU included. xoxo
i have connected with like spirited artists + dreamers + sisters all over the world in the past year. my life has been dramatically changed by each and every one. they add beauty, lift, encouragement, wisdom, and life to my days. i don't take it for granted. and i'm so grateful for the online avenues that have allowed me to get to know these brave souls. xo
Thank you for sharing this incredible piece by Jeanette LeBlanc! My circle of girlfriends is made up of single mothers who all share life struggles together--dating, raising children, ex-husbands, and professional careers. We find strength, grace, and love in each other and our children. They are my family, and I am theirs.
I don't exactly have a circle, but I do have a handful of amazing women scattered here and there. Sometimes I'm the one offering support, but lately I have been in need of theirs! Each of these ladies, in their own way, have been sending me their loving kindness everyday - and I am grateful!
This is beautiful. I loved seeing photos from your time together at Feast. I just moved from my parents' home to a new city and I can't wait to find more spirit sisters in person......my circling started online, but I'm ready to make more in-person connections with women now :)
I am fortunate enough to have a circle of women who really are my sisters both heart and soul. They have saved my from getting swallowed up in the depths of sadness many times. They are the ones who I know will be there in two seconds if I needed them, and for that I am eternally grateful.
These prints are beautiful, and strangely enough I shared the circle of women one on a post on my blog just last week.
I stumbled across this on Pinterest and felt like a bell that had been picked up and rung! As a preteen, I was bullied by a group of girls in my class who made my life miserable and as a result I enter into relationships with women very selectively and rarely in groups. I have enormous anxiety about being in groups of women. Last weekend I took the risk of attending an incredbile Yoga Retreat with a group of women I barely new.I It was a miracle I stayed because of the panic attack I had when I got there. But circumstances conspired against my leaving and I bucked up and stayed. What a healing weekend! It's beyond description. Reading your beautiful thoughts reminded me of the power of that healing and my responsibilities to be a part of that too for others. Thank you for breathinglife into that thought and writing it down! Namaste!
As soon as I saw the first line of that poster I was sold. How wonderful! I was telling my 19 yr old just yesterday about how fascinating I think all women are. I'm off tomorrow to go have a little "circle" with a friend who needs a friend and time away from life. Just the girls...it should be great!
I love both of these (and I agree with Jeanette about olives on pizza). I have been recently opening myself to possibility and finding space to work toward my writing dreams. I have several circles of women supporting me, and I feel so lucky.
today my face is a bit sunburned, my legs are a bit sore, and my heart is full after some good days of hiking around sedona.
Love, love, love !!! I want one for myself and one for my daughter who turned 17 yesterday. I think these are empowering words for a teenaged girl to live by....and portable enough to take with her to university in a couple years for her dorm room. If I don't win, I'll be ordering as soon as I can afford to anyway. Good luck everyone!
peace & love
Living by the words of Ray Bradbury: leap off the cliff and build your wings on the way down; I packed up my things, quit my job and moved from Atlanta to Chicago! I'm am actively looking for a job, exploring the city for a place to live, and on the lookout for a circle of women : ) Thank you for this beautiful artwork and these even more beautiful words!
I believe in the power of a circle of women. In today's society there is a generally accepted perception that women can not be friends - especially women with ambition. That women are catty and backstabbing. I wholeheartedly disagree. I have seen the power that grows within a circle of women who leave motivation at the door and open themselves up to what others can bring and bring their best into a circle. Support, inspiration, joy - when , as women we lift one another up there is no limit to what can be achieved. I am a mother - I have 4 daughters; 18, 15, 11, 8 - and it has been my biggest challenge to teach them this through puberty and the angst and drama that can follow. It is a goal of mine to create a place here in my community that offers a place to find and celebrate that circle.
The second print rocks my soul. I live those words - daily. Some people may call me impulsive, but I simply make choices on instinct. Sometimes the results may not be what I hoped, but that in itself could have been the reason for the doing - that learning. Life is too short not to live it!!!
Oh yes, yes, yes, this! Jeannette's words (and yours) echo those in my own soul. It took me years to trust women, to love women, to feel safe with women after the damage done in grade school and high school. Now I am blessed to have a life full of gorgeous, inspiring, compassionate, loving, open-hearted women. I'm off to Jeannette's site...
Jeanettes words shoot straight to my soul. I would love to have both prints for my studio. Thank you for this gorgeous giveaway. xo
It has been one of those wild weeks of intense reflection and moods that go round in circles and up and down a little too unpredictably. One message keeps arising through it all, though, and I've written it down on every scrap paper I can get my hands on. We've got to be strong and healthy, both physically and emotionally, to be of any good to anyone and we need to instill that same value in our children. They need to sense when they feel hurt, or sick or weakened, and they need to reach out for help to get well. That means taking a bit of restorative time for ourselves too. We can't be all reach and no recover.
I have always had. A fear of reaching out and opening up to others. I wish I would have had a woman share those ideas as ok as a child. From this maybe I could openly explain to my daughter faith and friendship is OK, and not always a negative thing. A. Loving mom with hope, dreams, and child named Fayth for a reason. Thank you for the thought.
I have a circle of women who are all totally different. I'd be lost without each of them! Daily I learn something from at least one. Including my 3 daughters that are 22,19,& 14...each of them being completely different from the other 2. I believe I have taught them each well on life and love and also on friendship. I've been told circles of women are full of drama, which I can totally understand but also the circle is very much needed!
I would like this for my daughter. I have found that women are not taught to be close to one another, but to compete against and be catty to each other. I have a small and close circle of girlfriends that I trust with everything. Since I've found them, I am healthier, happier, and a much better woman, mother and wife. They are my rocks, as I hope I am theirs...
I'm now in the 52nd year of my life and spent the majority of those prior years worrying about what others thought; of me, what I've done, what I've yet to do, what I haven't done. Then, a major event happened, as life is apt to do, and I woke up one morning and said to self - No More. And I stopped. I now live for me and strive for grace and happiness. I don't subscribe to a particular religion, but am spiritual, and focus on gratitude in my life everyday. These things have created powerful changes in my life. I share with those that care to listen, but mostly try and let my actions speak for themselves. I'm content with what I have and I'm happy.
This is a beautiful print. I have 2 circles of women-friends who hold me up, frequently. This past year has been especially challenging for me, as my son was molested by my husband's brother. I've experienced a plethora of pain in my life, but none is as horrible as having pain thrust on your child. My girlfriends and their constant support and prayers are what has kept me living through this darkness. They are good and holy and I am forever grateful. This print says it all! God bless. . .
I have a circle of women in my life that i love more than words can explain. They hold me up when i feel like breaking down and through every rough time in my life.
I haven't been part of a circle in quite a few years and I have to say I miss it terribly.